CEDAR FALLS, Iowa– Sophomore kicker Louis Hyde scored the lone points for the Tommies as they fell 44-3 to Northern Iowa on Saturday at the UNI-Dome.

The game against the No. 15 (FCS) Panthers (2-1) was St. Thomas’ first Division I competition in football since moving up from Division III to Division I this season.

It also marked the first football game between St. Thomas and Northern Iowa since the 1926 and 1927 seasons. The Panthers won 22-0 in Cedar Falls in 1926, and the teams played to a 6-6 tie in 1927.

Hyde put St. Thomas (1-1) on the board with a 35-yard field goal with 1:50 left in the first half as Northern Iowa took a 17-3 halftime lead. The score was set up when senior defensive back Joe Hird intercepted a pass by sophomore quarterback Theo Day with 4:42 left in the second quarter.

Senior quarterback Cade Sexauer came into the game in the second quarter to replace senior quarterback Tommy Dolan, completing six of 14 passes for 53 yards.

The Tommies threw three interceptions on the day, two of them by Sexauer. Panthers junior defensive back Benny Sapp III had two interceptions himself, one of which he returned 41 yards. First-year cornerback Stefan Black had the third.

The Panthers expanded their lead to 30-3 on senior running back Bradrick Shaw’s 4-yard TD run on the opening play of the fourth quarter, capping a 7-play, 57-yard drive. Isaiah Westin’s 60-yard TD reception made it 37-3 with 10:30 left in the game.

As the final minute wound down, a fumbled snap by St. Thomas sophomore punter Kolby Gartner led to a 12-yard scoop and score by Panthers redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Sean Wendel.

St. Thomas had won its first game as a Division I team, topping Division II Michigan Tech 12-9 in Houghton Mich., on Sept. 11. The Panthers were two weeks removed from a 16-10 road loss to No. 10 (FBS) Iowa State.

The Tommies are back in action Saturday, Sept. 25 against Butler University at noon for their first Division I home game.

Cam Kauffman can be reached at kauf8536@stthomas.edu.